Wire cutting tool

ABSTRACT

A wire cutting tool is shown and described having gripping members disposed within and resiliently connected to the jaws adjacent the cutting edges such that wire ends are held by the gripping members after being cut.

I United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,777,398

Routh, Jr. 1 1451 Dec. 11, 1973 WIRE CUTTING TOOL 2,938,266 5/1960 Klein 30/124 7 Inventor: Esse Edgar Routh, J 6 Hemlock 2,715,769 8/1955 Llscomb 30/ln4 Rd,, Bro vill N Y, 10708 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22] Filed, Jan 1972 610,644 3/1935 Germany 30/124 [2]] Appl. No.: 219,231 Primary ExaminerJames L. Jones, Jr.

Assistant Examiner.1. C. Peters {52] U S Cl 30/124 Attorney-Henry W. Foulds, Jr.

[51] Int. Cl 13261! 17/04 58 Field of Search. 30/124, 134, 135 [57] ABSTRACT A wire cutting tool is shown and descnbed having 5 References Cited gripping members disposed within 21nd resiliently con- UNITED STATES PATENTS nected to the aws ad acent the cuttmg edges such that 23028) 11/1942 st H 30/124 wire ends are held by the gripping members after eegmu er 2,985,957 5/1961 Freedman 30 124 bemg 3,456,343 7/1969 Breisch 30/124 4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures wnu: CUTTING TOOL BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION This invention relates to wire cutting tools and in particular to fixed joint pliers and cutters of the following classifications: diagonal wire cutting pliers, end cutting nippers, transverse end cutting nippers and special tip cutters. These tools are used in the electrical, electronic and other industries to cut wire and similar materials. These conventional wire cutters, however, have an inherent disadvantage in use in' that when wire is cut by them the waste end will tend to fly or pop away from the cutting edges of the pliers and into the area being constructed or repaired.

For example, in the construction of electrical and electronic equipment, tubular capacitors, resistors, transistors and the like are connected, soldered or mechanically anchored into a chassis or area, and when this has been accomplished, the excess wire leads of these components are cut off. When cut with conventional wire cutters or pliers, the excess wire leads, which are usually not insulated, tend to scatter into the work area and can lead to short circuits and other electrical and mechanical difficulties.

It is the purpose of this invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a new and improved wire cutting tool.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved types of pliers with cutters which not only can cut wire but also have the capacity to form and shape wire. There are a variety of these of which linemens side cutting pliers (also called electricians pliers), needle nose pliers with cutters, and flat nose pliers with cutters are representative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The wire cutting tools of this invention are fixed joint wire cutting tools having first and second lever arms pivotally connected intermediate their ends to provide opposing handles on one side of the pivot axis and operatively connected first and second mating jaws on the other side of the pivot axis. The pair of mating jaws have mating cutting edges at one extremity thereof and jaw surfaces extending angularly inwardly from the cutting edges. Mating gripping means are positioned immediately adjacent the cutting edges, each gripping means being angularly shaped at its edge adjacent the cutting edge to conform with the angularly and inwardly extending jaw surface. Resilient means are positioned between the jaw surface and the gripping means and are attached to each of the jaw surface and the gripping means. Hence when wire is inserted between the cutting edges for cutting, the mated gripping means grip the wire end to be cut off, are each depressed during the cutting of the wire, and grip the cut wire end after the cutting of the wire.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS shows a section of wire placed between the jaws of the pliers before cutting.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 and shows the section of wire after it has been cut. This view gives the detail and function of the pliers to hold in its jaws the waste section of wire that has been cut away from the wiring work.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the obverse side of the pair of diagonal wire cutting pliers of FIG. 1 showing the cutting edges of the jaws. This view also shows a section of wire in place and positioned for cutting.

' FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3 and shows in detail the cutting jaws and the position of the wire to be cut as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross section similar to FIG. 4 and shows in detail the cutting jaws and theposition of the wire after a section of wire has been cut as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG- 6 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing a pair of end cutting nippers embodying the invention with a section of wire placed between the jaws of the pliers before cutting.

FIG. 7 is plan view of the nippers of FIG. 6 showing the position of the wire after a section of wire has been cut.

Referring now in greater detail to the various figures of the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, a pair of diagonal wire cutting pliers is generally shown in FIGS. 1-5 and basically comprise a pair of complementary handle members 1 and 1 lap jointed together at 3 and 3' and held pivoted together by pivot pin 4, and jaw members 2 and 2 having cutting edges 8 and 8 respectively and surfaces 9 and 9' respectively extending angularly inwardly from cutting edges 8 and 8'. Two gripping plates 5 and 5 having gripping surfaces 7 and 7 and the approximate configuration and dimensions as the inside plane of jaw members 2 and 2' are spaced from the jaw surfaces 9 and 9 of members 2 and 2' by means of resilient masses represented by 6 and 6' which masses fill in the spaces between the jaw surfaces 9 and 9' of members 2 and 2 and the plates 5 and 5' and are bonded to each of the jaw surface and the plate. The relationship of the latter configuration is best illustrated by referring to FIG. 4. The resilient masses6 and 6 must have good recovery characteristics from compression, illustrated by FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

' The gripping surfaces 7 and 7 ofplates 5 and 5' are roughened or toothed as shown, in both FIG. I and FIG. 2 to prevent wire from slipping from the jaws of the tool when it is used in cutting.

Plates 5 and 5 are angularly shaped at the edge adjacent the respective cutting edges 8 and 8' to conform with the angularly extending surfaces 9 and 9 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 at 5a and 5'a.

In operation, wire 10 is placed between jaw members 2 and 2 and handle members 1. and 1' are pressed to engage the wire 10 as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4, in this position wire 10 would be engaged by cutting edges 8 and 8' on the one hand and by the grip- "ping surfaces 7 and 7' of plates 5 and 5' on the other hand. When pressure is applied to handle members '1 and l and wire 10 has been cut, as in FIG. 2, the cutting edges 8 and 8' are in contact as shown in FIG. 5, gripping plates 5 and 5' have regressed from their position adjacent cutting edges 8 and 8', resilientmasses 6 and 6' are compressed, and excess wire end 10' is firmly held by gripping surfaces 7 and 7 of plates 5 and 5. The wire cutting tool can then be removed from the work area and excess wire end 10 discarded into a waste receptacle. Thus the wire gripping function of the cutting tool of the invention is provided by the ac tion of the resilient masses 6 and 6' in adhesion and coaction with the plates 5 and 5' which the systems 5 and 6 and 5' and 6 resiliently biased.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a pair of end cutting nippers is shown comprising a pair of complementary handle members ll'and ll, lap jointed together at 13 and 13 and held pivoted together by pivot pin 14, and jaw members 12 and 12' having cutting edges 18 and 18 respectively and surfaces 19 and 19 respectively extending angularly inwardly from cutting edges 18 and 18'. Gripping plates 15 and 15 having gripping sur faces 17 and 17 are spaced from the jaw surfaces 19 and 19 of members 12 and 12' by means of resilient masses l6 and 16' which fill in the spaces between the jaw surfaces 19 and 19' of members 12 and 12 and the plates 5 and 5' and are bonded to each of the jaw surfaces and the plate.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the wire is cut, the excess wire end is held by gripping surfaces 17 and 17. Resilient masses 16 and 16 are subjected to compression but not biased compression so that the edges adjacent the cutting edge need not be angularly shaped.

Plates 5, 5', l5 and 15 are fabricated from any rigid or semi-rigid material such as plastic or metal. Preferably the plates are made of brass.

Resilient masses 6, 6', l6 and 16' are fabricated from any material that is compressable and has good recovery characteristics from compression. Suitable materi als include natural and synthetic rubbers, the cellular plastics, and snythetic adhesive sealants. The resilient mass, if preformed, is bonded to the jaw surfaces 9, 9', l9 and 19' by any type of adhesive but preferably by a resilient adhesive such as rubber cement. Alternatively, each resilient mass is cast in place from one of the synthetic adhesive sealants, such as a silicone adhesive sealant of the Silastic type, which itself bonds to the appropriate surfaces.

The wire cutting tool of this invention can be modified to provide an insulation cutting and stripping tool, for example as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,241. Thus one or more mating indentations corresponding to various wire gauges can be positioned along the cutting edges such that the insulation is cut and the waste insulation is held by the gripping means while the insulation is stipped from the uncut wire.

The claim:

1. In a fixed-joint wire cutting tool having first and second lever arms pivotally connected about an axis intermediate their ends to provide opposing handles on one side of the pivot axis to provide first and second mating jaws on the other side of the pivot axis operatively connected to one and the other of said opposing handles, respectively, a cutting edge on each said jaw positioned in mating relationship with the said cutting edge on the other said jaw, and the surface of each said jaw along said cutting edge on said jaw extending angularly inwardly from said cutting edge, the improvement which comprises:

rigid plate means on each said jaw defining a gripping surface positioned in mating relationship with the corresponding means on the other said jaw and located immediately adjacent the said cutting edge on the said jaw and extending inwardly from said cutting edge, and

resilient means comprising a mass of resilient material, positioned between the surface of each said jaw and the gripping plate means, associated with the said jaw attached to such jaw surface and such gripping plate means whereby when wire is inserted between said cutting edges, said mating gripping plate means grip said wire and are depressed during cutting to grip the cut wire portion between said surfaces after cutting.

2. The improvement of claim 1 in which said cutting tool is diagonal wire cutting pliers.

3. The improvement of claim 1 in which said tool is end cutting nippers.

4. The improvement of claim 1 in which said gripping means is shaped at the edge thereof adjacent the cutting edge associated therewith to conform with the angularly extending surface of the said jaw associated therewith. 

1. In a fixed-joint wire cutting tool having first and second lever arms pivotally connected about an axis intermediate their ends to provide opposing handles on one side of the pivot axis to provide first and second mating jaws on the other side of the pivot axis operatively connected to one and the other of said opposing handles, respectively, a cutting edge on each said jaw positioned in mating relationship with the said cutting edge on the other said jaw, and the surface of each said jaw along said cutting edge on said jaw extending angularly inwardly from said cutting edge, the improvement which comprises: rigid plate means on each said jaw defining a gripping surface positioned in mating relationship with the corresponding means on the other said jaw and located immediately adjacent the said cutting edge on the said jaw and extending inwardly from said cutting edge, and resilient means comprising a mass of resilient material, positioned between the surface of each said jaw and the gripping plate means, associated with the said jaw attached to such jaw surface and such gripping plate means whereby when wire is inserted between said cutting edges, said mating gripping plate means grip said wire and are depressed during cutting to grip the cut wire portion between said surfaces after cutting.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 in which said cutting tool is diagonal wire cutting pliers.
 3. The improvement of claim 1 in which said tool is end cutting nippers.
 4. The improvement of claim 1 in which said gripping means is shaped at the edge thereof adjacent the cutting edge associated therewith to conform with the angularly extending surface of the said jaw associated therewith. 